What CEFR level is my TOEFL score?
Since January 21, 2026, the TOEFL iBT reports on a 1–6 scale in half-point steps, and ETS designed that scale to map directly onto the CEFR: a 6 is C2, 5–5.5 is C1, 4–4.5 is B2, 3–3.5 is B1, 2–2.5 is A2, and 1–1.5 is A1. Each of the four sections gets its own 1–6 score, and your overall score is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half band.
If you're holding an older score report, or a university requirement still written in the old numbers, the legacy 0–120 total converts too. Here's both scales against the CEFR:
Aiming at the top of the scale? What TOEFL score is C1 works through the averaging arithmetic — one weak section can hold you at B2 while the other three sit at C1 — and what actually separates the two levels.
| CEFR level | TOEFL band (1–6) | Legacy total (0–120) |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | 1.0–1.5 | — |
| A2 | 2.0–2.5 | — |
| B1 | 3.0–3.5 | 42–71 |
| B2 | 4.0–4.5 | 72–94 |
| C1 | 5.0–5.5 | 95–120 |
| C2 | 6.0 | 118–120 |
Why does my TOEFL report show three different scores?
Because ETS is running a two-year transition. For two years after the January 2026 change, every score report shows three things at once: your CEFR level, your 1–6 overall and section scores, and a comparable 0–120 overall score. That dual reporting runs through January 2028, after which reports show the 1–6 scale only.
So a single report can legitimately say "B2", "4.5", and "90" — those are three descriptions of the same performance, not three different results. The comparable 0–120 number exists so institutions that haven't rewritten their admissions pages yet can still read your score.
My university still asks for a 0–120 TOEFL score — what do I do?
Nothing unusual: this is the expected state until 2028. Plenty of universities, visa pages, and scholarship rules still quote numbers like "minimum 80" or "90 overall", and your score report still carries a comparable 0–120 total you can hand them. Use the table above to translate the requirement into a band you can aim for, then verify the current wording on the program's own admissions page — some have already switched to bands, some haven't, and a few list both.
One thing genuinely changed with the new scale: because the overall band is now an average rather than a sum, a single weak section drags your whole score down instead of being partly absorbed by a strong one. Check for per-section minimums as well as the overall number.
How do I check my CEFR level before test day?
TOEFL only tells you your CEFR level after you've paid for and sat the exam. If you want to know roughly where you stand first — and which of your four skills is holding the average down — take a CEFR-aligned test instead of guessing. Most learners overestimate themselves by about half a level, which is an expensive thing to discover on exam day.
Nivelo's free 5-minute test places you in a CEFR range (like B2–C1) on the same framework the TOEFL bands map onto. It's a readiness estimate, not an official TOEFL score — only ETS issues those. Comparing other exams? See IELTS band to CEFR, the Duolingo English Test score to CEFR, or what TOEFL score you actually need.